Dazzling Outside Shooting Lifts Florida Tech

By  //  December 18, 2012

Panthers Meet Fort Valley State Next

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Florida Tech finished the game shooting 51 percent from the field, 52 percent from 3-point range and 84 percent from the charity stripe in its final exhibition to take care of Southwestern College by a score of 95-77 on Monday at the Clemente Center.

Sophomore Kayk Wilson of Florida Tech had a game-high seven 3-pointers in the Panthers win over on Southwestern College on Monday. (Image courtesy of Florida Tech)

“I liked the way we shot the ball,” head coach John Reynolds said. “We shot the 3 really well in the second half, going 10-of-14 and finished the game at 52 percent. We have to be happy with that.”

Sophomore guard Kayk Wilson went 3-of-3 from behind the arc in the second half, and finish with a game-high seven 3-pointers. Wilson also knocked down 8-of-9 from the free-throw line to score a game-high 35 points. The 35 points are also a career-high for Wilson, but will not go towards her career statistics.

Junior Ida Gustafsson also got hot behind the arc in the second half, hitting 3-of-4.

“There was around a 90 second span where Ida went off and they had no answer for her,” Reynolds said.

The span began at the 10:12 mark and finished with 8:46 left in the second half. Gustafsson scored 10-straight points for the Panthers, hitting two 3-pointers and two layups off spin moves. The 6-foot-1 forward scored 12 of her 15 points in the second half.

Setting up Gustafsson on both 3-pointers was junior Rita Acevedo. Acevedo finished the game with a career- and game-high 12 assists—seven of those assists coming in the second half. The 5-foot-7 point guard also pulled down a game-high seven rebounds.

Senior Jami Chappell also added 10 points and a game-high three steals. The forward hit 2-of-4 from long range to contribute to FIT’s 15 3-pointers. The Panthers’ single-game team record for made 3’s is 16, which came against Flagler during the 1991-92 season.

Southwestern College, who is ranked No. 21 in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Division II poll, put up a fight in the second half. The Lady Builders shot 50 percent in the second half and hit 16-of-18 free throws to bring the came within eight points, trailing 78-70, with 5:25 left on the clock. But the Panthers went on a 15-7 run to close out the game for a 95-77 victory.

FIT finished the second half shooting 57 percent from the field, 72 percent from behind the arc and 100 percent from the free throw line.

The Panthers will resume regular season action on Wednesday when they travel to Fort Valley State. They will tip off with the Wildcats at 3 p.m.